• Option 1 - 3+ clubs: opener bids PASS - Not enough Hand Points to open.
     • Option 2 - exactly 7 clubs with 5+ suit points in the club suit, opener bids  3 ♣ . This bid is referred to as a "Preemptive 3". (Go to the web page Preemptive 3 for more information) With less than 5 suit points in the club suit, the opener bids PASS.

     • If the opener has exactly 6 clubs and 5+ suit points in the club suit, the opener cannot make a "Weak 2's" opening bid since the  2 ♣  opening bid is reserved for a hand with 22+ Hand Points.

     • If the opener has exactly 8 clubs and 5+ suit points in the club suit, the opener cannot make a "Weak 4's" opening bid since the  4 ♣  opening bid is reserved for the Gerber Convention which asks the responder for the number of Aces in the responder's hand.

   1) 98% of the time the opener will bid  1 ♠ . This strong hand has a 3+card spade suit and more than enough HCPs to open. The location of the HCPs does not matter.
   2) In rare cases, the opener will bid the  2 ♣  equivalent. The hand can have less than 22+ HCPs, but it must hold 10 quick tricks (one trick less than the 11 required for game with clubs as the trump suit). This artificial demand bid indicates a powerful hand, but nothing about the clubs suit. The responder MUST keep the bidding open (even with a bust hand) so the opener can bid again in the appropriate suit. For more information go to the  2 ♣  web page.